Jim Jordan appointed to Intelligence Committee ahead of impeachment hearings

Rep. Jim Jordan now has a seat on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, as Arkansas Rep. Rick Crawford announced Friday he will be stepping down.

Mr. Jordan, Ohio Republican, will serve on the committee as it starts public impeachment hearings next week.

“@GOPLeader and @DevinNunes will ensure the American people hear the full truth while @Jim_Jordan will add critical bandwidth and legal expertise to the House Intelligence Committee during these upcoming public hearings,” Mr. Crawford tweeted, also referring to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Rep. Devin Nunes.

Mr. Crawford said he will return to the Intelligence Committee once the “impeachment hoax” is wrapped up.

There had been talk about Republicans changing their lineup on the intelligence committee this week as Democrats announced that public impeachment inquiry hearings will begin Wednesday.

Mr. Jordan, the top Republican on the House Oversight and Reform Committee, has been one of the most prominent defenders of President Trump both inside and out of the closed-door depositions.

However, according to the new rules governing the public phase of the investigation, Mr. Jordan would have been sidelined next week as only members of the intelligence committee will be allowed to question witnesses.